Doorstep Baby
by Celsie
Summary: The Elders have a little job for the youngest Halliwell sister. Only her sisters are afraid it could be too dangerous because of certain emotional attachments. Paige based story!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Charmed characters. I do own any and all of the others unless otherwise stated.

Summary: The Elders have a little job for the youngest member of the Charmed Ones. Only when Paige discovers the job her sisters realize it may hit a little too close to home.

**Doorstep Baby**

**Chapter 1 Newspaper Surprise**

"Paige, are you going to come down for breakfast or what?" Piper demanded from the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm coming, hold your horses!" Paige yelled back as she closed her eyes and orbed into the kitchen. Piper listened and heard the familiar sound of orbing and walked into the kitchen.

Leo looked up from the kitchen table as Paige landed and grabbed a chair at the other end of the table.

"Do you people have any idea what time it is?" a voice asked from the doorway.

"It's about five thirty." Paige answered with a smirk as they looked up to see Phoebe standing in the doorway.

She looked exhausted, her eyes were outlined in heavy dark circles and her shoulders sagged as she lurched into the kitchen and sat down at the table her face planted into the wood.

"Watch it the foods hot." Piper demanded as Phoebe narrowly missed placing her forehead in a hot plate full of pancakes.

Phoebe just moaned, "Has anyone gotten the paper yet?" she asked her voice low and sleepy.

"No, Leo and I just got up and Piper doesn't much care for the paper." Paige said with a laugh.

Piper just glared at her as she sat down next to her husband.

Phoebe looked around at them, finally she sighed, "Fine I'LL go and get it!" she hissed as she stood and stalked from the room leaving the three in a fit of early morning laughter.

Leo opened his mouth to say something but he was interrupted by Phoebe's loud exclamation of, "OH MY GOD!"

"Are you sure we can trust her with this?" a light airy voice asked concern dripping from every word.

"I think it would be a rewarding experience for her, not to mention the fact that there really is no other choice." A male voice declared.

"I'm not sure though, because should she fail we won't get this chance again for another two hundred years, and the last two hundred haven't been the easiest for anyone." Another female voice stated.

"Fine a compromise then. If and when she shows signs of failing at her task we will remedy the situation. We will bring her back here and protect her our selves." An older more commanding male voice said evenly.

The others silently agreed and a resounding silence filled the air.

"How will we go about setting this up?" the first voice asked after what seemed like an eternity.

"We'll figure something out, in the mean time, I think she's calling to you." Another male voice whispered.

"Yes I suppose she is. I feel horrible about everything she's been through but it is for the best of the world. Hopefully she will be able to hold her own when the time comes." The female voice said getting softer and quieter as she walked away.

"I only hope this is the right decision, thanks be to it that we have only twelve years of constant panic to go through instead of the customary sixteen." A male voice said wistfully.

"Thank the medical mistakes they're making down there, it causes them to come into their powers faster when they hit puberty." A man chuckled.

More laughs sounded from the air as they laughed for the first time since the problem had entered their thoughts.

(Celsie) I realize this was a very short chapter but never fear I will make then longer as we go on. Also this is a Paige story, Paige will be the most focused on sister so if your thinking this is a Phoebe because most of the chapter was on her your wrong. I just wanted someone other then Paige to find the surprise.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Charmed characters. I do own any and all of the others unless otherwise stated.

Summary: The Elders have a little job for the youngest member of the Charmed Ones. Only when Paige discovers the job her sisters realize it may hit a little too close to home.

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Reviewer Responses

kendallpaigecharity: Thanks so much and I'm sorry it took so long to update, I had a REALLY killer virus on my computer. Here's your update!

GravityDrop: I hope it does. I don't like confusing my readers, it mean less continued readers. So if it's still confusing point out where it's confusing and I'll try and fix it.

fanmania: Thanks I enjoy hearing all kinds of comments about my work. Please continue reading and reviewing!

piperfairy: Hmm me too. Wonder if we'll find out in this chapter…

JewWitch: Wow thanks that was really nice of you. I never really thought much of my dialogue I always thought it was just you know average, but thanks for letting me know how well I write it!

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Doorstep Baby

Chapter 2

"Phoebe?" Piper yelled as she quickly stood up from her chair and made her way into the hall followed by a very concerned Paige. Piper stopped behind Phoebe and tried to look over her shoulder.

"What is it?" she asked impatiently.

"It's a baby!" Phoebe whispered staring shocked at the bundle lying on the doorstep.

"It's a WHAT?" Paige demanded from behind them both.

Piper and Phoebe turned to face her; "Someone left a BABY on our doorstep?" Paige said harshly.

"Umm yeah…" Phoebe said slowly remembering that Paige had been left on a doorstep as well.

"Move." Paige whispered as she pushed past her sisters. She knelt down and picked up the cradle like basket that the baby was in and carried it into the kitchen. Leo looked up and his eyes widened as he caught sight of the baby.

Paige picked up the baby and looked into her eyes, they were a crystal blue except every few seconds they'd flash violet.

"Well she's not a normal baby." Piper said as she watched the baby yawn and stare up at them.

"Leo, find out what you can about this baby." Piper said as she turned to face him. Leo nodded and orbed away. Phoebe wiggled her finger at the baby girl and smiled when the girl's eyes followed her finger around in fascination.

"Oh she's so CUTE!" she cried. Paige smiled she was really cute.

Piper heard Wyatt wake up and she groaned, "Be right back." she said as she turned and took the stairs two at a time until she reached the landing and her bawling son.

Paige held the baby in one hand and picked the cradle basket up and walked into the living room. She sat in the rocking chair and held the baby girl close to her rocking back and forth and whispering soothing noises to her.

Phoebe watched from the doorway and looked up when Leo orbed in.

"Hey I think we all need to talk." he said glancing over at Paige and the baby. He turned and headed into the sunroom and waited as Phoebe collected her sisters and the babies and brought them into the room.

"Hey Leo." Paige said still unable to take her eyes off the baby in her arms. Piper walked in with Wyatt on her hip.

"Phoebes said there was something you needed to tell us?" she asked as she sat down.

"Okay the Elders have a job for you, well Paige mostly." he said looking over at her.

"Why me?" Paige asked looking over at him in alarm.

"Apparently Faith is the Guardian of the Balance. They gave her to you because they're testing you for your future white lighter duties." Leo answered.

"What's a Guardian of the Balance?" Phoebe asked.

"The Guardian of the Balance comes about every two hundred years. Ever time the balance begins to shift to far to one side the guardian balances out the two sides. Usually by granting the down side more power, not more then the other side though just enough to keep them even." Leo answered again.

"Hold on your saying that every time we win one over on the dark side, the Guardian gives them more power? How messed up is that!" Piper said her eyes narrowing.

"Actually the last two Guardians were killed before they came into their full power." Leo said sadly.

"Wait you mean demons have killed them?" Paige asked.

"No, actually the last time it was your ancestor." Leo said his eyes darkening.

Their eyes widened, "But why?" Phoebe asked finally.

"That way they could continue to have the upper hand over evil." Leo said leaning back in the chair.

"When do the Guardian's come into their full power?" Paige asked gazing down at Faith's sleeping face.

"When puberty beings." Leo answered.

"Wait a second you mean our ancestor killed a…child?" Piper whispered her eyes

widening.

"Yeah." Leo answered as the three sisters looked at each other stunned.

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(Celsie) I think the chapters are going to be short because I'm basically FORCING this story out of my brain and I can write stories I have no inspiration for better if it's in short chapters. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Charmed characters. I do own any and all of the others unless otherwise stated.

Summary: The Elders have a little job for the youngest member of the Charmed Ones. Only when Paige discovers the job her sisters realize it may hit a little too close to home.

Reviewer Responses 

kendallpaigecharity: Thanks that's so nice of you!

Paige Halliwell: Thanks.

fanmania: I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Piperfairy63: Sorry it took so long to get this update but I was having more computer problems.

Who-will-change-the-world: I'm a huge Paige fan to and I'm glad you like the story so far. I hope you continue reading and reviewing.

Rory: Thanks for the suggestion but the main plot of this story involves her time before coming of age. Maybe I'll do a sequel with her after she comes of age. I'll have to think on it. It'll also depend on how many people read this and then want a sequel.

Paige Marie Halliwell: Great!

**Doorstep Baby**

Chapter 3

"Wait, wait slow down." Paige said suddenly putting Faith back into the crib basket obviously disturbed.

"The Elders left a magical baby on our doorstep and expect ME to take care of her?" she demanded pacing the room tension echoing in her words. Leo nodded as he took his son from Piper and sat down with him.

"Okay but what are we supposed to do with her? I mean for such an important job they didn't give us a lot of warning or advice or anything else for that matter." Phoebe said from where she was leaning against the wall on the other side of the room.

"Well I don't really know a lot about it." Leo said glancing up at her. Piper entered the room carrying the Book of Shadows under her arm.

"Let's see what we have okay?" she said sitting down and opening the heavy book. Paige and Phoebe moved over and sat down next to her, a few seconds later Piper pointed to something in the book.

"Here we go, the Guardian of the Balance." Paige read over her shoulder as Phoebe read aloud.

"The Guardian of the Balance is a mortal child generally born to non-magical families.

Their powers manifest themselves when they come of age.

The Guardians live extremely long lives as they are only born every two hundred years.

When they come of age they become immune to all magic so that they can complete their job as set out from their birth.

However before that time members of both good and evil generally hunt them.

They have superior strength, intellect, and powers from the day their conceived.

Only known way to kill a Guardian is to cut their throat before the come of age." Phoebe sat back as the color dropped from her face.

Paige had gotten to her feet once again pacing the room while Piper closed the book and gazed at the sleeping child.

"Okay so we protect her until she hits puberty?" Paige said wringing her hands for some reason she had an over whelming feeling of dread hovering over her and it made her very nervous.

"Apparently." Leo answered.

"We have to protect her from everyone. We can't even trust the good guys anymore. Everyone will be after her." Piper said rubbing her temples, she had the same feeling of dread that Paige had and it was giving her a headache.

Phoebe nodded, she got to her feet and looked around the room, "We need to start setting up some more demon alarm systems."

Paige nodded and left the room to begin the necessary preparations. Piper picked Faith and her cradle basket up and took them upstairs to Wyatt's nursery where she began making a place for the little girl.

It still hadn't hit them that they would be caring for the girl for another twelve years at least. Leo picked the sleeping Wyatt up and carried him to the nursery so he could sleep.

A few hours later Faith, who from what Leo had told them was only about a year old, was awake and lying quietly in her cradle gazing at the ceiling. Wyatt was only a few months older and he was lying in his bed still asleep when Paige entered the room as quietly as possible.

She walked over and sat on the floor nest to Faith and sighed, "You're definitely not a normal baby." she slipped a small silver necklace with a glowing violet crystal around the little girl's neck. The crystal flashed brightly and when the light receded, Paige saw the little girl was watching her in interest.

Paige looked away; she didn't want to become attached to this little girl.

"Paige?" Phoebe whispered looking into the room to find her sister.

"Yeah?" Paige answered quietly as she stood up and carried Faith into the hall where Phoebe was standing with her arms crossed and a very concerned look on her face.

"Hey are you okay?" she asked gazing into her younger sister's face.

"Of course I am." Paige lied knowing full well Phoebe wouldn't believe her. Phoebe raised an eyebrow but decided not to pursue it; she nodded and turned her eyes barely betraying the worry she felt.

Paige entered the kitchen with Faith in her arms; the baby girl was crying quietly her hands flying. Paige had a feeling she was hungry so she had set off to find Piper in the hopes she could help her out. Piper glanced up from the table as the two entered the room and she quirked an eyebrow.

"What's up?" she asked as she set the newspaper aside hoping Paige hadn't seen it.

Paige grinned, "I saw the newspaper but at the moment I have a problem. Do you have any extra bottles lying around? I think she's hungry." Piper nodded and stood up; she opened the cupboard and pulled out a clean bottle.

She heated up some formula and handed it to Paige who thanked her and left the room to feed the baby. Piper watched her leave and felt the concern welling up but she pushed it away and went back to the newspaper.

(Celsie) I think the chapters are going to be short because I'm basically FORCING this story out of my brain and I can write stories I have no inspiration for better if it's in short chapters.


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